Plug valve



Jan. 21, 1941. s. .1. NORDSTROM PLUG VALVE Filed June 25, 1937 INVENTOR. .Sven J. Nora s from.

I W q ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,229,120 PLUG VALVE Application June 23, 1937, Serial No. 149,810

4 Claims, (01. 251-112) The present invention relates to valves, and more particularly relates to plug valves having means for resiliently maintaining the plug on its seat and wherein means are provided for jacking the plug off its seat by the application of lubricant under pressure.

In plug valves, particularly those having the operating stem at the larger end of the plug, considerable dimculty has heretofore been experienced in maintaining the plug resiliently seated over long periods of time. Fibrous packing material such as asbestos packing or the like have proven satisfactory for only relatively short periods of time, as the packing becomes permanently compressed after long periods of use or when subjected to high temperatures, and consequently loses .its

resiliency.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a resilient seating member for a plug valve which maintains its resiliency over long periods of time,

and is practically unaflected by high temperatures.

A further object is the provision of combined resilient packing and seating means in a plug valve which eliminates the need for ordinary stufiing boxes or the like. I

In accordance with the present invention, I pro- I vide in a plug valve a washer or plate so constructed and supported that it may be deflected by a suitable adjusting member, and because of .the inherent resilience of the washer the deflecting force is resiliently transmitted to the plug to maintain the plug resiliently on its seat. The deflecting force also may be utilized to seal the valve stem of the plug by providing a suitable flexible metal dia- Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a preferred modification of resilient washer, and

Figures 5 and 6 are plan and side elevations respectively of a further modification of a resilient 65 washer.

Referring to the drawing, Figure 1, the numeral l designates a valvecasing havinga passageway 2 extending therethrough for flow of fluid, and a tapered bore 3 extending transversely ofthe passageway. A tapered plug 4 is seated in the 5 seat 3 and 'has'a port 5 therethrough adaptedto register with the passageway 2 in open position of the valve. At its larger end the plug 4 is reduced to provide a stem 6, shoulder I being formed substantially at the juncture of the stem'and plug, which preferably is rounded. The larger end of the valve seat isclosed by a cover 8 which rests on a shoulder 9 on the casing and is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the casing, and a diaphragm ll of thin flexible sheet steel or other 15 suitable material is interposed between the cover and shoulder. In the modification shown in Figure 1, the diaphragm ll extends inwardly substan-' tially to the stem 6 of the plug, and bears on-the rounded shoulder I. v 20 The cover 8 has a bore l3 therethrough to provide a packing chamber, and the packing in this chamber comprises .a metal ring ll which, as shown, bears on the inner peripheryof the diaphragm II and forces it into sealing engagement 25 with the shoulder 1 of the plug. The metal ring has a rib 15 on its upper surface adjacent its outer periphery, and a plurality of washers it are superposed on ring II with their outer peripheries resting on said rib, their inner peripheries being so spaced from the ring. These washers preferably are fiat, although if desired bowed or dished washers may be employed. If desired, only one washer of suitable dimensions may be used. A gland or bushing I1 is threaded into the. cover '8 and has a 3g reduced portion or rib l8 bearing on the inner peripheries of washers l6.

The seating surface of the plug and casing is lubricated in any suitable way, the preferred arrangement of lubricating grooves comprising two separated circumferential grooves 24 and 25 at the larger end of the plug above the passageway 2 in the casing, and similar circumferential grooves. 26 and 21 at the smaller end of the plug below the passageway 2 connected with the bottom chamher 28 by vertical grooves 29 in the plug. In full open and full closed positions of the valve the arcuate grooves are connected by four longitudinal grooves 30 in the valve seat, so arranged that in turning between open and closed position the-exo posed longitudinal grooves are disconnected from the source of lubricant pressure. Lubricant is supplied to these grooves from a reservoir -3l in the valve stem from which it is forced under pressure by the lubricant screw 32, and a suitable check valve may be located in this reservoir to prevent reflux of lubricant.

The'operation of the apparatus now will be described. With the valve in assembled position,

when it is desired to change the seating thrust on the plug, the gland I! is threaded inwardly, and the reduced edge l8 of the gland which bears on the washers 15 at their inner peripheries tends to bow these washers by forcing their inner peripheries toward the plug. Due to the inherent resilience of these washers a resilient seating reacting thrust is exerted on the metal packing ring l4 which is transmitted through the metal washer tothe plug. The washer II is held on the seat 9 at its outer periphery by the cover 8 which is suitably bolted to the casing, and the inner periphery of the washer II is held in fluid tight relation to the plug shoulder I by the resilient thrust of washers l6 transmitted by ring I4. When it is desired to reduce the seating pressure on the plug, the gland I! is screwed outwardly, the normal or natural resilience of the washers l6 causing them to follow the movement of the gland and straighten out and thus relieve the pressure on the plug. It will be understood that the washers I6 are selected of suitable material and are of suitable thickness so that in flexing under the pressure of gland H the elastic limit thereof will not be exceeded. Any desired number of washers l6 of any suitable thickness may be used for this purpose. The resilient seating thrust of the washers allows the plug to be jacked off its seat by the pressure of lubricant applied to the grooves in the plug and seat by the lubricant screw 32. In view of the higher modulus of elasticity of the washer I6 as compared to fibrous resilient packing material, the separation of the plug surface from its seat upon application of lubricant pressure to the valve will be less than when resilient fibrous material is employed to. hold the plug on its seat. Also, in view of this smaller separation there is less possibility of lubricant under pressure entering between the washer I I and the plug shoulder and locking the plug into its seat.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, the easing 35 has a tapered seat 36 therein in which is seated the valve plug 31 which provides a shoulder 38 at its upper end at the juncture of the valve plug and the stem 39. A cover 4| bears on a fiat face 42 at the larger end of the valve seat and is secured in position by cap screws 43 or by any other suitable means. A washer 45 of fibre or other suitable material is interposed between the cover 4| and the seat 42, and a metal disk 46 is held between the fibre Washer 45 and a fibre disk 41, the metal disk 46 and the fibre disk 41 extending inwardly substantially to the valve stem. The disk 46 is concentrically corrugated adjacent its inner periphery, as indicated at 49. The cover 4| has a bore 5| therein in which is located a metal packing ring or thrust transmitting ring 52, the enlarged lower endthereof resting on the fibre washer 41 adjacent its inner periphery. The outer end of the packing ring 52 preferably is reduced as indicated at 53 to form a bead and provides a seat for the inner end of a resilient metal ring 54. A follower 55 in the form of a metal plate is bolted to the cover 4| by a plurality of cap screws 56 symmetrically disposed, a suitable hole 58 being provided therein to receive the valve stem 39, and has a seat or edge 6| which engages the outer periphery of the washer 54.

down by the bolts 56, it flexes downwardly the outer periphery of the washer 54, and due to the inherent resilience of this washer a resilient thrust is transmitted through the metal packing ring 52 and diaphragms 41 and 46 to the plug shoulder 38, whereby the plug is urged resiliently into its seat. The seating pressure on the plug may be increased by tightening down the stud bolts 56, or may be relieved by loosening the stud bolts 55. The corrugated form of washer 46 reduces the area of contact of this washer with the plug shoulder and thereby reduces friction.

In the modification shown in Figure 2, the casing 65 has a tapered seat 66 therein in which is seated the valve plug 61 which provides a shoulder 68 at its upper end at the juncture of the valve plug and the stem 69. The casing has a shoulder 10 surrounding the larger end of the valve seat, and a metal diaphragm II has its outer periphery resting on said shoulder and its inner periphery bears on the shoulder 68 of the valve plug. A washer 12 of asbestos, or similar fibrous material is superposed 'on the washer II and cover 13 of the valve which is secured to the casing by bolts or other suitable securing means clamps the outer peripheries of washers H and 12 on the shoulder 10. The cover 13 has a bore 14 therein which receives a packing comprising a lower metal ring 11 bearing on the inner peripheries of washers 1| and 12, and an upper ring 16, an inherent resilient washer 18 being positioned therebetween. A gland 19' is threaded into the bore 14 of the cover, and by threading the gland l9 inwardly the washer 18 is deformed and caused to exert a resilient seating thrust which is transmitted through the lower metal ring or packing TI and washers II and 12 to the plug. The preferred construction of washer I8 is shown inperspective in Figure 4, wherein it will be seen that thiswasher is crimp'ed so as to be radially corrugated throughout its entire area.

In the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6, a washer 8| is shown which may be used in place of the washer 18. This washer has a series of parallel corrugations 82 formed for only a portion of its surface at right angles to a second similar series of corrugations 83. The central corrugations in these series preferablyare somewhat higher than the next adjacent ones, by about fivethousandths of an inch, and so on when more than three corrugations are used. When a compressive force is exerted on this washer the deflection of the washer transmits a resilient seating force to the plug in the same manner as described in connection with the washer 18 in Figure 3.

In the modification-shown in Figures 2 and 3 the plug may be jacked fromits seat by lubricant pressure in the same manner as described in connection with the modification shown in Figure 1.

In the modifications shown in Figures 1 and 3, the resilient seating washer is supported by what may be called a cantilever support, the seating thrust being exerted by reason of the bowing or deformation of the resilient washer. In Figures 2, 4, 5 and 6 the washer is initially deformed by crimping so that when compressed it is deformed and thus exerts a resilient seating force on the plug. As the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present preferred embodiment is therefore to be considered as illustrative rather than restrictive of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A valve'assembly comprising a casing having a passageway therethrough for flow of fluid; a

valve seat in said passageway and a plug valve element movably mounted in said seat; means including a plurality of communicating grooves onv said valve elementfor introducing lubricant under pressure within said'casing for jacking said valve element ofi its-seat; a stem projecting from said valve exteriorly of said casing and a shoulder on said valve element'surrounding the base of said stern! and thrust means resiliently bearing on said shoulder. for urging said valve element toward its seat and opposing the force of said lubricant pressure, said thrust means comprising an annular substantially radially corrugated metal washer surrounding said stem and an adjustable collar on said casing surrounding said stem'for deforming said washer and maintaining it, in deformed energized condition in said assembly.

2. In the valve assembly defined in claim 1,

said washer having a plurality of circumierentially spaced sets of corrugations.

3. In the valve assembly defined in claim 1,

certain of said corrugations of said washer being corrugation in each set being higher than theadjacent corrugations in said set.

SVEN J. NORDSTROM. 

